Confirmed with Link: Bryan Rust re-signs 5.125 AAV (6 years)

[Randy Butternubs]

Already briefly touched on by others, but those last 3 years of Rust's deal will be quite enticing by other teams who want a Cup veteran presence. The last two years even more so.

At that point in time, the Penguins will likely be in the midst of a tank. Retaining 50% cap/salary on those years will help the Pens reach the cap floor while not actually spending it on a player on the roster.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Happy belated birthday little Rust....!

 

[cygnus47]

Already briefly touched on by others, but those last 3 years of Rust's deal will be quite enticing by other teams who want a Cup veteran presence. The last two years even more so.

At that point in time, the Penguins will likely be in the midst of a tank. Retaining 50% cap/salary on those years will help the Pens reach the cap floor while not actually spending it on a player on the roster.

Yeah it's flexible enough that if we drop off and choose to tank he'll stay tradeable, but if we surprise in a welcome way it doesn't break the bank. The only issue will be him retaining his level of play. I'd argue his switch from forechecking crazyman and shotblocker to goal scorer will probably buy him another year of health.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

 

[Jacob]

Did Rust leave all that much money on the table? GM's can see who he's playing with and how much his point totals are inflated. Maybe he could have gotten more money but less term for sure. Cap has been stagnant for years now and probably won't go up much in the future. There is zero chance that he left something like 6x7m deal on table. I'm thinking 4x6.5m or 6x5,75m are max and that's why he decided to stay.

I think a few teams would’ve offered 6x6. Maybe 7 years. He’s not just a PPG player, he’s a Cup winner and can play either wing AND is an excellent PKer.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I think a few teams would’ve offered 6x6. Maybe 7 years. He’s not just a PPG player, he’s a Cup winner and can play either wing AND is an excellent PKer.

Yeah I think there’s a good case for him being a 7x7 player given others that have nailed that salary and haven’t been as consistent. The biggest thing for Rust is that he’s consistent since entering the league and becoming a regular. He’s produced well as a 3rd liner, 2nd liner, and now a 1st liner that in his own right isn’t a product of Sid & Jake.

Columbus still really wanted Rust I believe, so they would have gone at him with 7x7 or something like that. But a lot of contenders that would be worth his while, wouldn’t be able to afford the 6m/yr or more and if he’s taking less than 6m and it’s to stay with Sid & Jake, it made sense.

It looks like this off season contenders will be shedding salary just to keep young talent etc.

 

[Ryder71]

Takes some of the sting out of trading and getting nothing in return at the deadline. Good player, reasonable price although he is a bit streaky.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

They really are the most deplorable group of fans in the league, bar none. Totally delusional about their team, and hockey rules in general….and really mean-spirited about it. Says a lot about a group of people who have experienced a single championship in 82 years.

You are exactly right. They are deplorable, lack self awareness, play the victim card endlessly, and are just rude and mad at the world. Watch any close call at MSG and see how many mouth-breathing alcohol-fueled rage-maniacs are screaming obscenities and giving the refs, other team's player, the finger while sitting near kids. It is just ugly and stupid. At least the Philly fans just hate our guts, but are fully cognizant their team sucks and the world isn't out to get them. One of my best friends on the planet is a life long Ranger guy from NYC, but he is actually good natured and we can enjoy watching games together. He has always told me that Ranger fans are the worst of all the sports teams based in greater NYC/NJ. Even worse than Yankee and Isles fans. That speaks volumes.

 

[Al Smith]

Kane with the Hatty. He's sort of like Radulov. You wonder what his career would've been like if he hadn't been such a knucklehead.

Edit: Sorry wrong thread.

 

[JTG]

I think a few teams would’ve offered 6x6. Maybe 7 years. He’s not just a PPG player, he’s a Cup winner and can play either wing AND is an excellent PKer.

Yeah, I was under the impression he'd get 7 years, and could get up to 6.5-7m in salary if a few teams really wanted him.

He brings about everything a team who is a Cup contender, or a young up and coming team would look for. He's been there and done it.

 

[Pens1566]

In a vacuum, it's a great deal well below what he would have received as a UFA. In context, it's gonna be a problem that could limit bringing back one of Letang/Rakell. And yes, I'd have preferred Rakell back if it were a choice.

This assumes we don't shed one of Zucker/Dumo/MP/KK.

 

[LOGiK]

None of the Penguins reporters have sources. I don't think Rob even talks to Malkin anymore, he probably just talks to a recording of Malkin he took 7 years ago and makes up answers.

Dreger had this and 15 minutes late the Pens reporters 'confirm.' WTF? Why wouldn't the team let them know first if they respected them?

This is why there is an option to disallow that trash from ever being seen on account preferences.
Posters get to used to falling back on that garbage. Then they get upset these people really don't know anything.... when in their minds (if they have any) they should know that 95% of these people are bull shitting on the internet.

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

Yeah, I was under the impression he'd get 7 years, and could get up to 6.5-7m in salary if a few teams really wanted him.

He brings about everything a team who is a Cup contender, or a young up and coming team would look for. He's been there and done it.

There is exactly zero chance Rust left 10 million dollars on the table. None. People have always had exaggerated expectations for what his market is. He took a small discount, not much. We tacked on 2 years other teams wouldn’t have given him to get average down. His agent knows the market and so does Hextall.

 

[Tom Hanks]

In a vacuum, it's a great deal well below what he would have received as a UFA. In context, it's gonna be a problem that could limit bringing back one of Letang/Rakell. And yes, I'd have preferred Rakell back if it were a choice.

This assumes we don't shed one of Zucker/Dumo/MP/KK.

It won’t make a difference to Letang coming back.

Pens have a max contract they’ll give him that. It won’t be the highest offer and they won’t match others. So either Letang wants to stay at a discount or goes for top dollar.

 

[Jacob]

There is exactly zero chance Rust left 10 million dollars on the table. None. People have always had exaggerated expectations for what his market is. He took a small discount, not much. We tacked on 2 years other teams wouldn’t have given him to get average down. His agent knows the market and so does Hextall.

If Hyman can get 7 years I think Rust could've gotten 6.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Couple notes from Friedman/Marek:
- Marek expressed the same surprise that most people have had and said he thought Rust would get more on the open market
- Friedman countered with a comparison to Brandon Saad and said that most wingers of this ilk are settling at the 4 year/$5.5 million AAV. He said that is reportedly where Rakell and Anaheim were at prior to the Ducks trading him to Pittsburgh.
- Friedman said the tenor of the negotiations changed within the last week and sped up in a hurry.
- Friedman agreed with Marek that the negotiations with Rust, Malkin and Letang are in their own separate bubbles and that there shouldn't be anything read into the fact that Rust got his deal done. Friedman said he was told that Rust's deal was simply easier to negotiate because both sides were already pretty close on their number. That may not be the case with Malkin/Letang.

Podcasts

Podcasts

podcast.sportsnet.ca

 

[Pens1566]

It won’t make a difference to Letang coming back.

Pens have a max contract they’ll give him that. It won’t be the highest offer and they won’t match others. So either Letang wants to stay at a discount or goes for top dollar.

It's one or the other it'll impact. Either they ignore Rakell, or it lessens the max they can give Letang. Can't have all 3 without significant pruning elsewhere.

 

[Tom Hanks]

It's one or the other it'll impact. Either they ignore Rakell, or it lessens the max they can give Letang. Can't have all 3 without significant pruning elsewhere.

There’s room for fair deals for all 3.

Do they want more (yes)? Will they accept less than they want ()?

 

[jmelm]

I'm pretty ambivalent about Rust. He'll be OK for another couple years, and then there will be thousands of posts of why GMRH signed him a six-year term. Whatever.

Well what would the alternative have been? If it was: let's sign Rakell and, for example, Burakovsky because he's a few years younger, then sure. Although who knows if he either makes it to UFA or would pick the Pens over 10+ other teams.

If the answer is: let Rust go and replace him with.....ERod? Kapanen? Alex Nylander? Then there's no scenario in which we aren't dramatically worse next year and possibly may cost us a playoff spot.

Sid has 3 years left on his deal, and I'm confident we can get 3 really good years out of Rust. I couldn't care less about what happens to this team in terms of how a guy like Rust is performing in year's 4-6 once Sid is gone because we're going to suck balls anyway and need to rebuild.

It's one or the other it'll impact. Either they ignore Rakell, or it lessens the max they can give Letang. Can't have all 3 without significant pruning elsewhere.

We can absolutely fit all 4 of Rust, Geno, Rakell and Letang on this team if we get rid of Dumoulin.

 

[pistolpete11]

It's one or the other it'll impact. Either they ignore Rakell, or it lessens the max they can give Letang. Can't have all 3 without significant pruning elsewhere.

Malkin $7M
Letang $7.5M
Rakell $5M
Backup goalie $1.5M
Fill the rest with WBS and/or cheap vets

Guentzel - Crosby - Rust
Zucker - Malkin - Rakell
DOC - Carter - McGinn
Poulin - Blueger - Zohorna
Pusstinen

Dumo - Letang
Matheson - Marino
Petts - Ruh
Friedman

Jarry
CDS

The only pruning there is Kap/Heinen who they could theoretically let walk.

They should also be moving one of Dumo/Petts and replacing them with POJ anyway, though, so you could afford to keep Heinen around. You'd have quite a bit of breathing room left as well.

 

[Tom Hanks]

 

[jmelm]

Yeah it's flexible enough that if we drop off and choose to tank he'll stay tradeable, but if we surprise in a welcome way it doesn't break the bank. The only issue will be him retaining his level of play. I'd argue his switch from forechecking crazyman and shotblocker to goal scorer will probably buy him another year of health.

We won't surprise in a welcome way within 3-4 years. We're going to suck. HARD.

I do appreciate your optimism though

 

[jmelm]

I think a few teams would’ve offered 6x6. Maybe 7 years. He’s not just a PPG player, he’s a Cup winner and can play either wing AND is an excellent PKer.

100% there would be at least a handful of teams that would offer 6 years x 6. And maybe a few that would even go 6.5M on a 6 year term.

Also, it makes me wonder just a little bit: is there any chance that Rust took the $ AAV he did because he knows something the rest of us don't -- yes, I'm talking to you, stupid ass Rob Rossi -- about the likelihood of one or more Geno's, Letang's and maybe even Rakell's likelihood of signing?

Have to think Rust would want some degree of confidence in the team's plans going forward when making this commitment, besides just his love for this city, etc.

 

[Tom Hanks]

 

[jmelm]

Ohhhh.....so Sleepy has a sense of humour.....